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Prime time for "bluegill on the fly" is rapidly approaching, and I noticed this Redington outfit at Cabela's for under $50.
Cabela's: Redington™ Crosswater Outfit
If you ever thought about trying fly fishing for gills, that outfit would be great -- comes with rod, reel, line and leader. Thumbs Up
Those are great rods. Redington was one of the few rod makers in the 60's that made short rods. They have been noted for high quality at a reasonable price. If anyone was remotely interested in getting started I do not see how they could go wrong with that outfit. I don't want to look at them too long as I am afraid I would be buying one for myself.
I saw that outfit in a sale flyer and was wondering if they are any good.
That outfit is one of the three or four that I recommend to people who are just starting out. Redington is owned by Sage, which is one of the leading fly rod makers. They don't sell junk.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baxter1
Thanks for the tip! With Cabela's offering free shipping on combos, this was too good a deal to pass up. I'll soon be tossing feathers at shallow panfish.
I purchased an over priced Redington youth fly rod from a yuppie outdoor shop in Charlotte. Its a 9ft 5 weight model and I've been catching gills on flies since late Feb.
Will this outfit (5-weight 9' rod with weight-forward line) comfortably cast bluegill-size poppers (up to #8 hook) with rubber legs, or does that require a 6-weight?
I cast flies up to a #8 on my 5wt. You might have trouble with bigger flies, but you don't need bigger flies for gills.
A 5-wt CAN throw 1/0 bass flies, if you know how to cast 'em. I fished bass-size foam poppers on my 3-wt last year. While I wouldn't recommend it for too long, you can do it.
With a 5-weight, you should be able to throw anything a bluegill can fit in its mouth!
Most recommendations for a starter set up seem to be for a 9' 5wt, but I was reading this book, Fly Fishing for Dummies, and it recommends a 3wt for pan fish. Since you have been fishing with a 3wt, I wanted to get your opinion on this question. The book gets great reviews, but it seems to be at odds with most else I hear.Quote:
Originally Posted by quivira kid
I like the 9' 5wt for beginners. It's just a good, all-round rod. It's the 30-06 of the fly rod world -- not perfect for everything but very good for a lot. It will handle bigger flies and wind better than a 3wt. I think QK likes lighter rods, so his opinion may differ.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cartman
BTW, I didn't like the "Fly Fishing for Dummies" book. It was written by a journalist. IMO, the "Idiot's Guide to FF", the Orvis guide, and the LL Bean book are all better resources.
For a catch-all rod, a 9ft 5wt is hard to beat. Great for learning how to fly fish on!
For where I fish and what I target, a 7-foot 3-weight rod seems to do me great. I generally am looking for bluegills, and some spots require "tight quarters" casting, so the shorter rod helps.
I recently got a glass 7-foot 5-wt and am now addicted to it, but we don't need to open up that can of worms here! :)
looks like they are sold out. Oh well I need a new fly rod like I need another hole in my head. quivira My last fly rod was a old Berkley Cherrywood 8 foot 4 weight in Glass. Smooth I like it. My favorite is a old 10 foot 7 weight Allcock split bamboo. Like you said maybe we should let that one rest as every one has his favorite.
Redman